Doe bred too young

[Tiny Buns]

Help me out here so I know what to do if this ever happens again.

I bought a pretty fancy pants expensive holland lop doe for a steal. $100. She was born June 10. The breeder runs a daycare and little miss accidentally got put in with a senior buck. Breeder is experienced and responsible so this was not her but one of her little ones that made the error. Full disclosure when I bought the doe that she might be pregnant. Breeder saw no falloffs but the buck was doing his post coital thump.

Fast forward. Today is day 37? So far no nests. No pulled fur. No odd behavior other than the poor thing having a diarrhea two days ago and a butt full of obvious worms. (Dewormed her immediately). I put her out for a run and she's doing this weird scrunching thing and making weird noises. I should have clued in she was in labor but lack of any nesting behavior it was out of my mind.

Put her back in her cage. Come back in an hour to say hello to bunnies. Blood everywhere. Stretched kit. Something prolapsed and ballooning out of her back end. The size of a chicken egg. She's crying and groaning and obviously in pain. Take her to the vet and it's going to cost $1200+ to treat. :S

So we out her out of her misery.

Gaaaahhhh. Is there anything I should have done?

Feeling very sad and very crappy.

 

[Ramjet]

I don't believe you can breed a doe too young .... if they are capable of producing viable eggs and cooperating during breeding they are old enough to breed.

Sounds to me like there was something else causing her issues .... kindling at day 37 , sounds like those worms took up a lot of valuable resources that would have otherwise gone towards production of the kits.


What should you have done ? .... Sounds to me like you did all you could do for an animal that already had issues before you got her.

That's my 2 cents ....

I wouldn't be buying from that breeder again .... I'm very particular about who I get my animals from.

 

[ladysown]

Not much you could have done.
Just a horrible accident.

DO KNOW THIS.
there have been many does bred too young and come through it just fine.
There are does who had successful litters and then had a prolapse.

the two details aren't necessarily connected.

I'd be talking to the breeder again and just letting them know the situation.

having someone pay a $100 on a risky junior seems a bit steep to me. The heavy worm load certainly didn't help her.

 

[Tiny Buns]

The vet mentioned the worms didn't do her any favours and may have contributed to the long gestation.

 

[macksmom98]

What do you use to deworm? I am so sorry! I had really been hopeful for you! Which Hollands do you have left at this point?

 

[Zass]

If it were my sale, I'd be replacing that doe. It seems like one of those accidents that no one could have prevented, but...for the $100, you should have gotten healthy stock.

I have had breeders offer to replace stock for much less serious health problems than that.

 

[Bad Habit]

What Zass said.

I recently lost a 1yr old doe to a prolapse, it was awful and broke my heart. I read all that I could, and basically the internet told me that it is a random occurrence with no proven causes, something that just happens and can't be helped.

 

[Tiny Buns]

What do you use to deworm? I am so sorry! I had really been hopeful for you! Which Hollands do you have left at this point?

I think it's called strongid T. I'll check. I went to the vet and asked for the kitten/puppy dewormer.

This could have been my first actual live baby but nope. Sigh. Not to mention the agonizing pain this poor girl was suffering.

So that leaves me with my broken blue who had the dead litter of 4 last month. And two juniors who have months to go before I can breed them. The doe I lost was ready beginning of next month.

-- Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:01 am --

If it were my sale, I'd be replacing that doe. It seems like one of those accidents that no one could have prevented, but...for the $100, you should have gotten healthy stock.

I have had breeders offer to replace stock for much less serious health problems than that.

The doe was originally from ABC rabbitry who sold her to DEF rabbitry. I bought the doe from DEF. I was the second owner. When I contacted DEF, she was mortified and refunded my money. DEF's a good person. I figured it would be refund or replace and she wouldn't leave me hanging. I believe DEF only had the doe for a couple months. I do know that I'm fortunate. Had a bought directly from ABC she would have shrugged her shoulders and said let me know when I can sell you another. ABC rabbitry has made its reputation in Hollands and I guess she doesn't feel the need to back it up anymore.

It was just a very sad freak accident.

-- Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:05 am --

I don't believe you can breed a doe too young .... if they are capable of producing viable eggs and cooperating during breeding they are old enough to breed.

Sounds to me like there was something else causing her issues .... kindling at day 37 , sounds like those worms took up a lot of valuable resources that would have otherwise gone towards production of the kits.

Sounds like good common sense. I had never thought about that but yes, I guess if there are eggs they are ready and no eggs then, well no. Still not a super idea. Poor thing didn't have a clue (no nest, no pulled fur)

This is my first experience with obvious worms (gag). But again, with that many it makes sense they were diverting resources.

-- Thu Nov 19, 2015 8:08 am --

What Zass said.

I recently lost a 1yr old doe to a prolapse, it was awful and broke my heart. I read all that I could, and basically the internet told me that it is a random occurrence with no proven causes, something that just happens and can't be helped.

There was a noise she made that I could have gone my entire life not hearing and would be grateful to never hear again. I prefer silent rabbits. I like to think that if I read enough and have enough experience I can prevent this type of thing and hate that some things are truly out of my control. Here's hoping this was a first and last experience.

 

[Bad Habit]

I have been breeding almost 5 years now and only have had the one prolapse.

 

[macksmom98]

Is it more common in new moms? Or does successful litters decrease chances? I guess not in this case, if she was bred before.....

 

[Tiny Buns]

Is it more common in new moms? Or does successful litters decrease chances? I guess not in this case, if she was bred before.....

I realize that was unclear. I went back and revised the 'how I got my rabbit' part of my reply.

 

[imajpm]

Oh how sad I sold a trio of does to a lady who popped them right into her colony. They were bred at 14 weeks of age and delivered 31 days later on the dot. They were not quite 5 months old at that time. The only issues they had were being immature moms. Some problems with the nests and the cleaning of the kits. They had them in a huge community nest so most of the kits were lost. I have never seen a prolapse and I really hope I don't ever encounter that. How awful. Poor thing